The NZ Transport Agency is reminding Auckland drivers of the need for extra care and patience as it prepares to close the Maioro Street section of the Southwestern Motorway (State Highway 20) in New Windsor after the evening peak on Friday (22 July) for four weeks to substantially complete construction of a new interchange.
Maioro Street is a key link for drivers travelling between the Central/Western suburbs and Manukau and to Auckland International Airport.
“The works are significant and there will be delays,” says the NZTA State Highways Manager for Auckland
Northland, Tommy Parker. “The best advice for drivers is to avoid the Maioro Street motorway link and use alternative routes around the city.
“We will have detours in place to minimise any disruption, but we do ask people to allow more time for their journeys – particularly during the morning and afternoon peaks – so that they can get to their destinations on time, and safely.”
An advertising campaign will be reinforced over the next two days by staff from the NZTA’s contractor, who will be on duty in the Maioro Street area to ensure as many drivers as possible are aware of the closure.
Mr Parker says the four week closure replaces an earlier plan to have a series of phased closures over a 10-12 week period.
“Constructing projects like this in the middle of a city have many challenges and we are grateful for the support that we get from the community,” says Mr Parker “I want to assure both drivers and residents and businesses whose streets are being used as detour routes that the NZTA will do everything it can to get this important project finished as quickly as possible.”
The Maioro Street Interchange marks the southern entrance for the Waterview Connection project joining the Southwestern and Northwestern (SH16) motorways. Waterview, which will be the country’s biggest roading project to date, helps complete the Western Ring Route road of national significance which will promote economic growth and jobs in the Auckland region and reduce dependency on State Highway 1 and the
Auckland Harbour Bridge.
Maioro Street will be closed between Sandringham Road and Richardson Road so the NZTA can construct the
new Maioro Street and Richardson Road intersection, as well as complete the new south-facing motorway
ramp and noise walls. During the second and final weekends of the four week period the NZTA will extend
the closure further south along the Southwestern Motorway to the Dominion Road off-ramp.
Walkers and cyclists, particularly those who access the Ernie Pinches Street footbridge from Maioro Street, will also be affected by the closure. For the next four weeks, they will have to access the footbridge from Richardson Road and Malcolm Street.
The pedestrian crossing on the southern section of the Richardson Road/Maioro Street intersection will be removed to help manage traffic during the closure. All other foot and cycle access at the intersection remains in use.
“The four week closure will allow us to deliver the benefits of the interchange a lot earlier than originally planned,” says Mr Parker. “The project - with its new half diamond interchange, two new bridges and new motorway on- and off-ramps - will be open again before the end of August and fully complete before Christmas - three months ahead schedule.”
Mr Parker says the NZTA will review the closure early next week, and will make changes to its plan to manage traffic flows if they are required.
For more information on the closure people can contact 09 620 5301, email SH20Maioro@nzta.govt.nz or
visit: www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/completing-wrr(external link).
For more information contact:-
Ewart Barnsley,
Auckland Media Manager,
NZ Transport Agency.
T +6499288720
M + 64272137616
E ewart.barnsley@nzta.govt.nz
